Cognac Tesseron - X.O Exception - Lot 29 NV
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Item# 60013-29
Wine Advocate
100pt
by Monsieur Touton Selection, 2012.
Cognac
Lot 29 is the cream of Tesseron's oldest and rarest stocks in Grande Champagne. It is a blend of Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard grapes, and is aged for at least three generations, approximately 75 years, in Limousin oak casks, with 30% coming from 1906 stock. Balancing power and finesse, it has an elusive, ethereal nose typical of only the very best old cognac, followed by layers of honey, figs, plums and exotic fruit laced with floral, oak, chocolate and mocha notes. On the palate it is supremely elegant, with flavors of macerated dried fruits, and again hints of mocha and cocoa refreshed by floral notes. Extremely well balanced and wonderfully complex with marlmalade notes emerging on a very persistent, stylish finish. The quintessence of elegance, to be contemplated when opened for a special occasion.
Estate
Tesseron Cognac is a new luxury cognac brand owned by the Tesseron family, which for more than a century has provided its old, rare stocks to the larger cognac houses. The family still holds one of the largest collections of aged cognac reserves in the world and launched their own brand in 2003, releasing cognacs only XO (which stands for extra old) and above in age. Made only in miniscule quantities, their cognacs are incredibly rare and highly desirable. The Tesseron Cognac house is located in Châteauneuf-sur-Charente and was founded by Abel Tesseron in 1905. Since then, the family business has since been handed down through four generations, and is now run by Alfred Tesseron, also owner of the highly regarded Chateau Pontet-Canet in Bordeaux.
Ageing
All of Tesseron's cognacs are aged exclusively in Limousin oak, a tough wood which has a fatter, looser grain than that of the more common Tronçais oak, thus giving more oxygen and
finer tannins, as well as being better adapted to long-term maturation. The house also makes a point of aging all of its cognacs in humid rather than dry cellars, resulting in a more rounded flavor profile.
History
The cellars at Tesseron date back to the 13th century and were once part of a crypt of a local church. Today they house one of the largest collections of old cognacs in demijohns in all of Cognac, in what is called the Paradis cellar at each Cognac house. Grapes are virtually all sourced from top two Cognac districts: Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne.
